Fesra's Guest Article: "The Fall of Kei" (full text)
Mourning: The Fall of Kei


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GUEST SUBMISSION
Fragment: Mourning
Nation Name: Vir Khal
Author Name: Fesra Mihrjan
Article Date: June 12, 2003


Early last week, the Irekei of Kei discovered two mysterious trees on the island south of our home peninsula. The names scratched into the bark were unfamiliar to my people, and we were concerned that they were a first push by some fir'khanim guild into our territory. Kei was still a fledgling oasis and our buildings were not behind walls, and our warriors were still young and inexperienced in battle. A settlement a mere minute's run from our shore would have spelled death, whether or not there was violence between us.

But my people have learned much since the fall of N'hala. The fir'khanim have long since taken the desert from us. Some deny it, throwing their lives away time and time again in an effort to reclaim their home. But those who worked to build Kei understood that the Irekei have one purpose, and one purpose only: when Nkurakarin awakes, we must be there to usher him into the world. If that means that we compromise with the fir'khanim, and turn our attention from war to diplomacy, so be it. N'koth.

And so Raeel, khar'uus of Vir Khal, issued a proclamation to all in the desert; those who had planted without introducing themselves to their neighbors, must leave. We would not destroy their Trees, we were willing to discuss the terms of their departure, but we heard nothing. Four days we waited while our mysterious neighbors grew stronger. Finally, the newcomers came forward. They were a guild known as Vindictive Ashes; it was not a promising name. Even more daunting was the discovery that they came from a large city in the north of Tyrranth Major. Suddenly, we faced a large guild, indiscriminate in its recruitment and well experienced in battle.

Despite our earlier successes negotiating with the Sacred Order of Athena, we were unable to reach a compromise with Vindictive Ashes. If we claimed the island, they would fight us. If not, they would do as they pleased. Try as we might, we were unable to bring them into the grey area between their two options, the grey area where mutual consideration allows for compromise and resolution. Finally, the leaders of Vindictive Ashes asked for 24 hours to consider our demands, and left.

However, when our Scouts returned to the island, they found a full-fledged city built around one of the previously bare trees. The millions of gold they had invested, well after being asked to leave, made it clear that they had no intention of considering our demand. It was decided not to place a bane immediately, but in disgust Raeel led a band to destroy their forge. The next morning, we awoke to find a bane placed around Haba'usht, our beloved Tree.

We knew we could not protect Kei by ourselves. Everyone in the virakt worked to secure aid in the coming siege. For the most part, however, we found little support. We had made the first visibly aggressive move, and even in the best of circumstances, the children of the Dragon have few allies in this world. Most painful to us was the absence of our cousins to the north, the Virakt of the Icy Night. Forced to choose between their people and their god, they stayed at home with the other followers of Morloch while their kin fell to the blades of the fir'khanim.

As the night of the siege drew near, we noticed a disturbing rise in bandit activity around our city. Vindictive Ashes made a concerted push to swell their ranks with new recruits, and took to traveling with members of the infamous Khar thugs and murderers, Haunted. Stirred by our call and worried by these activities, two guilds stood ready to aid us in repelling the attack. The Circle of Knights and Noblesse Oblige have always been good neighbors to us. One came to aid what they felt was a just cause, the other for coin and the satisfaction of fighting against those who feed off of the young and naive in their lands. The rumors of banditry even called the Tribunal to the siege. They sent two emissaries to observe the force arrayed against us and take stock of the threat they might present to the other desert nations. Though we have no love for the Temple and their stay in Kei was tense, we hoped that they would recognize an enemy in Vindictive Ashes and take the field against them. In addition, a number of individuals with personal ties to our virakt came to lend a dagger in our defense. Every sacrifice was greatly appreciated.

As the hour of the bane approached, we had a sizeable force ready to defend Kei. Earlier, we had sent Thieves into the walls of Cinderholm to "borrow" some siege weapons, and they were arrayed on the plains outside the walls, ready to attack the bane circle. I am thankful that in the heat of battle, the emissaries of the Tribunal did not recognize the brand of their temple upon our trebuchets. However, we were uneasy about our lack of knowledge of the enemy's size. Much to our dismay, our scouts began reporting the arrival of the House of Morrigan at VA's island trees. We were confused, for they were known to be an honorable guild and had had no grievances with us in the past. Fortunately, a hurried communication revealed that they had been mislead as to whom they were attacking. Once we made ourselves known, they returned home without raising arms against us.

Emboldened by this sign of weakness from the enemy, we prepared for the real battle. Half an hour before the bane went live, they attempted to swim a wave of fighters across the channel to the shores of Kei. Arriving bedraggled and exhausted, they were easily sent back to their Tree. We began to hope that victory might be at hand. Then, minutes before our tree became vulnerable, our scouts began to send in hurried reports of an army marching down from the north. But it was not the army we had fought for days prior. Cresting the cliffs above Kei, we saw our true enemy. While a few members of Vindictive Ashes lurked in the rear, Haunted and the assassins known as Nurfed swept down off the bluffs and attacked.

We were startled by their arrival, but quickly threw our efforts to pushing them back, away from our Bulwark. Our first rally was successful, and they retreated to the top of the hill. However, incensed with the heat of battle, many of our number rushed up the hill to give chase, and were cut down easily by their concentrated forces. As our discipline began to disintegrate, we realized where the battle would be lost. We had few healers among our ranks, and there was no way for us to summon the fallen quickly back to the battle. On top of the hill, however, they had many summoners and quickly replenished their forces. As the magic of the bane circle grew more potent, they wore us down, and when Haba'usht was stripped of her protection, there were few remaining to guard her from their blows. They continued to summon more forces, and with the aid of a few more members of Vindictive Ashes, they cut down Haba'usht and razed the city.

We mourn the loss of the jewel of the desert, the sands have darkened for us. But we are They Who Endure, and we raise a new sapling to the sun. We have heard tell of a new Virakt emerging from the deepest desert. We will seek solace among our kin and bring the war to the fir'khanim another day.

Guest Article Written by: Fesra Mihrjan, Vir Khal, Mourning